Budo and Karate

Budo and JKA Karate

Budo is a concept from another time and place. Literally meaning, the 'way' or the 'path' of Martial Arts, it is a term which can be aligned to only a few of todays combat systems. The big brother of Budo, Bushido is specifically the art of the Warrior, which comes from a hierarchical feudal heritage embodying the use of weapons and the art of war.

We describe our training using the language of Budo..

There are many aspects of traditional Budo in JKA Karate. In the Dojo, we take a strict almost militaristic approach to training and we adhere to the symbolism of the Japanese Budo culture. We describe our training using the language of Budo and we practice general Budo principles such as; Kamae (combat readiness), Tai-sabaki (body evasion), Ma-ai (combat distancing) and some core principles including Ikken Hissatsu, meaning; to kill with one blow. In Keiko, we consider the hands and feet as weapons, but above all, our approach to Karate and our frame of mind in the Dojo elevates our activities above a mere exercise or sport into a true art.

European Fencing is another example of an art whose original purpose was to kill

So Karate can lay claim to a warrior heritage. However, for practical purposes, the practice is modified for safety in much the same way as it is in Kendo where the warrior spirit is vigorously displayed in training with players, Kendoka, showing a clear intent to “kill” the partner. European Fencing is another example of an art whose original purpose was to kill, however to perpetuate and refine the practice, certain measures have been taken to render it as safe as it can be. Such controls make it possible to define a winner in a fencing encounter within modern Olympic sporting rules.

In the case of Karate, the blows are sent toward the target with the same deadly intent but stopped just short of target. This is known as Sun-dome and its proper application allows Karate players to use a full range of techniques in as safe an environment as can be artificially created. It has also allowed Karate to become a competitive spectacle closely akin to a sporting event. Whilst the competitive aspect of JKA Karate is similar to normal Dojo training, the non-competitive or Budo aspect takes up the vast majority of training time. In practical terms, this means that most JKA training, whether it is helpful in competition or not, is practiced without consideration to Shiai (match).

Karate competition is a window into an activity with great appeal. In Shiai, onlookers see the best of a group perform and receive accolades for a superior display of skills in the art. As we have seen in the section entitled sport, competition allows us to test our skills to demonstrate the ability of the trained person to simulate control over an opponent, in a “combat” sense in Kumite, or against an imaginary opponent(s) in Kata. In high-level JKA competition, an informed spectator can see the underlying Budo aspect in a “performance” even through the constraints of the rules. The observer knows that this is not a sport in the sense of a ball game, athletics or even Boxing. The ceremony surrounding it shows that it comes from a background of deadly combat, which has been refined into an art form with much ceremony and a clear demonstration of respect for the “opponent”.

(Karate) has evolved into a modern hand-to-hand combat system practiced mostly in a weaponless environment

In some circles, Karate is still not considered a true Martial Art. Arguably this view is correct considering that for example Baseball has been around longer in mainland Japan. Karate, a newcomer to the stable of much older fighting arts in that country, was never practised by the Samurai warrior class, nor has it been systematically applied in military conflict in the same way that the practical applications of older armed arts such as Iaido have. Karate rather, emerged as a defence system against weapons and has evolved from that into a modern hand-to-hand combat system practiced mostly in a weaponless environment.

In JKA Karate, we are able to pursue the competitive side of Karate without compromising the Budo aspect. The balance between the two is a fine one yet with proper instruction we can develop our skills along both lines in the knowledge that training in one is not detrimental to the other.

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